Chad Jones run the 40 in 4.84

METAIRIE, La. -- Chad Jones, the former LSU star and New York Giants 2010 draft choice whose career was placed in jeopardy by a car wreck nearly 1½ years ago, was timed at 4.84 seconds in a public 40-yard dash at a suburban New Orleans school on Wednesday night.

"That's a good time for my first time. Things went pretty good today," said Jones, who also was celebrating his 23rd birthday. "This was just to kind of show the public there's progress. It's definitely not my fastest time. I've got five more months of rehab."

Jones, a safety, was taken by the Giants in the third round of the 2010 draft. He seriously injured his left leg June 24, 2010, when his car crashed into a street car stanchion in his hometown of New Orleans.

He only began running again 3½ months ago.

"That shows you how fast things are progressing," he said.

The result left Jones optimistic he'll be able to attempt a comeback with the Giants as soon as next season.

"In the 2012 season, Chad Jones is going to be back with the New York Giants," Jones said. "I kind of see that happening."

Jones won national championships in both football (2007) and baseball (2009) at LSU. He was a left-handed relief pitcher with a fastball exceeding 90 mph for the Tigers' national title team and was known affectionately as "Dreadlocks of Doom" by teammates and LSU fans.

He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers weeks after the Giants selected him in the NFL draft.

For now, though, Jones said he remains focused on football, saying that the possibility of a pro baseball career is "still on the backburner."